ECHO. The organs built immediately after the Restoration generally contained what was then a novelty in England, called the Echo. This consisted of a repetition of the treble portion of a few of the leading stops of the organ, voiced softly, shut up in a wooden box, placed in some remote part of the organ case—usually behind the desk-board—and played upon by a separate half row of keys. The 'echo effect' enjoyed great popularity for many years, and exercised an influence on much of the cotemporary music both for voices and instruments. Purcell in some of his anthems exhibited a predilection for the loud and soft contrast; while most of the pieces written for keyed instruments abounded with recognitions of it up to the time of Handel, whose Concertos, Suites, etc., gave fresh impetus to the popular taste. [Cornet.]

ECK, Johann Friedrich, an eminent violin-player, born 1766 at Mannheim, where his father was a member of the band. He was a pupil of Danner, and soon rose to be one of the best violin-players in Germany. Reichardt of Berlin speaks of him as having all the qualities of a really great player—large tone, perfect intonation, taste and feeling, and adds that, with the single exception of Salomon, he never heard a better violinist. From 1778 to 88 Eck was a member of the band at Munich, and afterwards conducted the opera of that town. In 1801 however, having married a lady of rank and wealth, he quitted Germany and spent the rest of his life in Paris, and in the neighbourhood of Nancy. The date of his death is unknown. Eck published 4 Concertos for the violin, and a Concertante for 2 Violins.

His most distinguished pupil was his brother Franz, also an eminent violin-player, born at Mannheim 1774. He entered the band at Munich while very young; but, driven from that city by a love-affair, he travelled in 1802 through Germany, and gained a great reputation as violinist. The Duke of Brunswick was at that time looking out for a master on the violin for Spohr, then 18, in whose rising talent he took a lively interest. He invited Eck to Brunswick and confided to him the technical education of the future great musician. They at once set out on a tour to Russia, Spohr getting instruction at the places where the journey was broken, but otherwise profiting chiefly by hearing his master. In his autobiography he speaks very highly of Eck as a violin-player. He describes his style as powerful without harshness, exhibiting a great variety of subtle and tasteful nuances, irreproachable in his execution of difficult passages, and altogether possessing a great and peculiar charm in performance. On the other hand, Eck was evidently an indifferent musician, unable to enter into the compositions of the great masters, and showing great incapacity in his own attempts at composition. That he was not ashamed to pass off unpublished compositions of his brother and other composers under his own name confirms the low estimate of his general character to be gathered from Spohr's narrative. On arriving at St. Petersburg in 1803 he met with great success, and was appointed Solo-Violinist to the Court, but becoming involved in a scandalous affair, he fell into disgrace and was transported by the police over the Russian frontier. His health broke down and he became insane. After living for some time near Nancy he appears to have died in a lunatic asylum at Bamberg in 1809 or 10. Eck's importance in musical history rests mainly on the fact of his having been the master of Spohr, and thus having handed over to that great artist the traditions and principles of the celebrated Mannheim school of violin-playing.

ECKERT, Carl Anton Florian, violinist, pianist, composer, and conductor, born at Potsdam Dec. 7, 1820. Left an orphan at an early age he was brought up in barracks by his father's comrades, but owed bis education, to Hofrath Förster of Berlin. His early ability was remarkable, not only as a player, but as a composer. By the age of 10 he had completed an opera, by 13 an oratorio, and by 20 another, and both these were performed, and are warmly praised in the A. M. Z. of the time. He studied under various musicians, and in 1839 had the good fortune to become a pupil of Mendelssohn's at Leipzig. With characteristic sympathy for talent Mendelssohn gave him great encouragement, attached himself warmly to him, spoke of him as 'a sound, practical musician,' and corresponded with him.[1] His oratorio 'Judith' was performed by the 'Sing-Akademie' in Berlin in 1841, and in the following year the King of Prussia sent him to Italy for two years. On his return he composed an opera, 'Wilhelm von Oranien,' which was successfully performed in Berlin (1846) and at the Hague (1848). In 51 he became accompanyist to the Italian theatre in Paris, then accompanied Sontag on her tour in the United States, returning to Paris in 52 as conductor of the Italian Opera. In 54 he was called to Vienna to take the direction of the Court Opera, a post which he filled with great ability and distinction. But none of these things could satisfy him, and in 61 he went to Stuttgart as Capellmeister in Kücken's place. This too he threw up in 67;

↑See an excellent letter (Jan. 26, 1842) full of kind feeling and the most judicious advice and encouragement.